Unexpected Setback
by NiaKudo
Summary: Ran finds a note inside Conan's bag telling him to meet someone at the Kudo Mansion in order to get the antidot for the poison that shrank him. But instead of telling Conan, she decides to go to the appointment herself to investigate the truth behind Shinichi's disappearance, unaware that Gin and Vodka are going to the same place at the same time to recover what belongs to them.
1. The secret is revealed

**Title:** Unexpected Setback

 **Autor:** NiaKudo

 **Pairing:** Shinichi Kudo/ Ran Mouri

 **Fandom:** Detective Conan

 **Disclaimer:** Detective Conan and his characters belong to Gosho Aoyama. I just borrowed them to write the story you are about to read.

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It was night and the moon rose between the buildings, silent, observing the few people that were still walking through the streets of Tokyo. But the moon was not the only one looking... Almost as silent, a woman was watching everything from inside her car. She was staring at her phone, impatient, waiting for someone. After a few minutes, a man got into the car.

\- You are late- she said not even looking at him while putting her phone away and turning her car on.

\- I was busy trying to kill someone, but he escaped. He was lucky the boss ordered me to accompany you in your mission. After all, you are her favourite...- he said fiddling, with a cold smile. She looked at him, trying to show how upset she was. But before she was able to reply, he spoke again- BTW, I am surprised you are driving that peaceful, I thought you would be mad right now trying to find the culprit.

Vermouth look at Gin. Culprit? Peaceful? What was he talking about? She didn't know what he meant by that but she was fidgeting. She was getting that nervous that she didn't know what to reply. After a few seconds, she found the strength to speak again- Are you trying to tell me something?

Gin was pretending to look at the road. He didn't answer immediately well, he didn't answer at all. Vermouth was focused on driving. After all it wasn't easy to ride a car in the night. She was still waiting for an answer, but all he did was lighting a cigarette and start smoking. Vermouth couldn't handle it anymore and stopped the car.

\- Are you going to tell me what's going on?

\- Well... I shouldn't be the one telling you but... I think noone is going to dare to tell you the truth so...- He handled a paper to her and she started examining it

As she was reading, her eyes were opening more and more. Someone... Someone had revealed her secred. The secret that was making her a woman... Her true identity was just exposed in the organization archives, a place ANYONE working for them could access. And she was shaking in nervousness.

\- You... Who did that?- She asked. Her voice was breaking due to the rage she was holding inside- TELL ME RIGHT NOW! WHO WAS IT!- She couldn't content herself anymore and grabbed Gin by his black shirt.

\- I have no idea, I just needed to tell you to be more careful next time. Don't let anyone know about your real identity anymore or you will get exposed like that again.

After saying this, Gin hopped out the car- I suppose you are shocked at the moment, so we will do that mission tomorrow. The boss is not going to tell you anything, hey?- He said fiddling with a smirk, and closed the door at his back.

Vermouth glared at Gin walking away but she didn't continue driving. All she did was remaining in the car. She grabbed a paper and started writting something with her still shaking hands. Whoever did that was going to regret it. If they dared to expose her secret, she was going to reveal theirs. The secret she was hidding for that long. The antidote to the APTX4869... Yes. She was going to show the components to the organization's biggest enemy. The great detective Shinichi Kudo. The silver bullet she believed was the one who could destroy them.

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 **AN:** Well after reading hundreds of fanfics for the last 12 years I decided to join! This is the first episode of the story Unexpected Setback. I hope you like the story and it keeps you entertain. It will get better and better with time. Thanks for reading!


	2. An envelope sealed with lipstick

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thank you very much to all the people who read the first episode already. You make me want to write more and more!  
I am bringing a new episode a little bit earlier than I thought. I somehow got inspired last night 8) Hope you enjoy it!  
Disclaimer: Detective conan and its characters belong to Gosho Aoyama. I just borrowed them to write the story you are about to read.**

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The alarm started ringing. That annoying beep again. He hesitated a little bit while stopping it with his right hand. He was tired of going to primary school everyday. The lessons were uninteresting and he was tired of faking that he was interested in stories and crafts. He was still half asleep, thinking of how long the day was going to be, when Ran knocked at his door.

\- Conan-kun! It's time to wake up! Hurry up or you will be late!

He put the blanket away and got up. Another boring day, another day pretending he was someone he wasn't... But he couldn't do anything, not until Haibara discovered the cure for the drug that srunk him. Still thinking, he put his clothes on and went out for breakfast. Ran was sitting at the table and she looked a little bit sad, but he sat down next to her and started eating before asking.

\- Are you okay Ran-neechan?- he tried to sound childish, like he had been doing for the past months.

\- Yes I am Conan-kun, thank you for asking- she said with a cute smile. But Conan knew she was lying. She was the kind of person that could be dying inside but she would never show it in order to not make people worry.

\- Are you sure? Because you keep looking at the phone like you are waiting for something...

Ran looked at him. He was sure so smart... As smart as Shinichi, but 10 years younger. If Shinichi could read her mind right now... She was pretty sure he forgot about it but it was the anniversary of the day he disappeared... And she had the faith that he would appear or at least ring her to say that he was alright. But she wasn't going to tell Conan that, for some reason everytime she told him something Shinichi ended up knowing... One year had gone by already and he wasn't back yet... She was inmersed in her thoughts when she took a glance at the time- Oh it's so late! We are not going to be on time! Come on Conan-kun! Let's go!

Ran grabbed her bag and her karate uniform and Conan got his things. They went out the door and walked together for a few minutes until Ran met Sonoko and Conan met the Detective Boys, it was then when they splitted ways. The boys seemed so happy for some reason, they were talking about going to the cinema to watch the new Yaiba's movie. Conan sighted. See? That's what he meant by: Pretending to be a kid. He had to watch a movie he wasn't interested in just to please them. And Haibara seemed to notice he wasn't very happy afterwards.

\- Don't worry, I have to go as well, so there's no excuses. You have nothing to do after all, have you?- She asked, looking at him with a fake innocent smile.

After a few minutes hearing about how amazing the new movie was going to be, the new features and the new characters, they reached Teitan Elementary School. They went into their class and sat down in their chairs because teacher Kobayashi was about to get in the room. They all greeted her and she started the class.

Time passed slowly. Conan couldn't concentrate all day long as he could only think about Ran and her mysterious behaviour that morning. He was still absorbed in his thoughts, wishing for the day at school to be over and going back home. It was still one hour left, so it wasn't going to be hard. It was then when he heard his classmates complaining. The kids were starting to get a little bit nervous. Conan was still trying to get what was going on because he wasn't paying attention before.

\- Whaaat? Someone stole something?

\- What was it teacher?

\- How do you know it was us?

Teacher Kobayashi was trying to calm them- Boys, don't worry. The director ordered all the teachers to check inside everyone's bag to make sure nobody stole it. What disappear today was a very valuable statue from the director's room and we need to find it. You just need to walk to my table one by one and I will make sure you haven't got the statue in your bag. I am very sorry but I need to follow his orders.

All the kids nodded and started walking one by one next to the teacher. She was making sure there was nothing suspicious inside their bags and, after that, they could sit back again. Conan was observing all his classmates approaching the teacher, she was looking inside and they were all sitting back again. It was his turn this time, so he went there, placed his bag on the teacher's table and... Nothing was there. So he bowed at the teacher and sat back down. Haibara was staring suspicious, she didn't know why but everytime she looked at her she felt her body shaking. After she checked all the bags, she thank everyone and announced that they could leave early, as they were only 10 minutes left and she had to go to the director office to let him know nothing was found in their bags.

All the kids yelled in happiness and they started running out. Conan was still looking at the teacher, thinking that she was acting a little bit weird. It was the first time something was missing at school so he didn't really know the protocol to follow in those cases. After that, he got his bag and started walking out the class. They were the only ones allowed early as all the other students were still in class. He would of gone to the director's room but he was very worried about Ran, that's why he decided to go home and investigate the day after.

\- Kudo-kun- Haibara interrumpted his thoughts- Don't you find today's bag research a little bit suspicious?- She asked while looking at him determined. He was going to reply back when Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko approached them to make them walk faster.

\- Come on guys! We need to go to the cinema! We are going to be late if you don't hurry up!

Oh, no. He completely forgot about it. The cinema. He didn't want to go anywhere, not before knowing what was wrong with Ran. He had the feeling he was the reason she was upset and he couldn't stop thinking about it.

\- Guys... He, he, he. I don't know if I will be able to...- Conan started saying.

\- There's no excuses!- The three boys yelled at once- We are going now!

\- But I need to go home...- Conan pouted but they didn't let him finish.

\- Okay, we will take you home. But we need you to be quick!

And that's what they did. They took Conan home and they waited for him to come back down. He opened the door and found Ran with Sonoko.

\- Hi Conan-kun! Are you staying here with us?- Ran asked him with a smile.

\- Emmm... I... I am going to the cinema with my friends- Conan babbled while looking around trying to find a clue about Ran's disappointment before.

\- Okay, don't worry, go and have fun!- She said with the same shiny smile as she did before. Damn. He couldn't investigate properly with Sonoko in there. He will try to comeback home as soon as possible and try to figure out what was going on after that. He took his phone and started running to the door, still worried about Ran. But he had to pretend he was just 7 years old right? And 7 years old don't worry about older people's stuff.

\- Thank you Ran-neechan! See you later!- He giggled while running to the door.

\- Aish... He is just a kid after all- Sonoko replied watching him closing the door- I thought he would stay here with you since that detective maniac didn't show himself today...- Sonoko stood up and started grabbing her things.

\- I know... He is probably busy at the moment. I will wait to see if he replies later. Are you going already?- Ran asked, surprised.

\- Yes I am sorry Ran but Makoto is coming home today and I am meeting him in an hour. Do you want to come to have dinner at home tonight?

\- Mmmm... I don't know. I need to cook for dad and Conan will be home soon...

\- Come on don't be an idiot! We are making a little party and Makoto is going to invite a few friends, so maybe you should come and stop thinking about Shinichi...

\- What? Friends? But...

\- Shhhh, I don't take a 'no'. We will be waiting for you so get ready and come whenever you can.

Ran nodded and Sonoko left. She closed the door after her and sighted. Was she being a stupid? She was waiting for Shinichi all the time and he was behaving like an idiot, not calling her and not even caring about her. - Should I... ring him? She knew she was wrong but she couldn't handle it anymore. She needed to hear his voice once again. So she started dealing his phone number and... pressed the calling button. She was waiting for his voice to appear when a phone inside Conan's bag started ringing. Was it just a coincidence? She called again and the phone inside the bag rang again. So she opened his bag and... Found Shinichi's phone in there. Ran got petrified. What was Shinichi's phone doing in Conan's bag? Was she getting crazy? She tried to open it using the PIN Code but he changed it back again after the last time... She was getting furious. If Conan was really Shinichi she would... She was that focused on the phone that he didn't realise there was something else inside the bag. Between the books he found a white envelope. It was sealed at the back by a stamp that looked like it was made using a lipstick. She grabbed it and opened it with both hands. She knew it was not alright but she needed to know more information about the situation and, what was more important, she needed evidences. She knew that she needed a strong deduction or Conan would find a way to say she wasn't right. Ran sighed and teared off the envelope. And what she found inside just made her more intrigued about everything...

 _Silver Bullet, a few months ago one of our scientists discovered the cure for the APTX4869 but nobody knows about it besides me. I have kept this into a secret until today and I feel I need to tell you the formula to bring you back to your body. I will be at the Kudo Mansion at 5pm today. Come by yourself. After all you don't want anyone to know your real identity, do you?_

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 **N/A: Episode two finished! I will try to update the 3rd episode as soon as possible.**


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